(CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I.) The UNB REDS are the 2023 University Cup champions, the ninth national title for the program and eighth for legendary head coach Gardiner MacDougall.
The REDS beat the Alberta Golden Bears 3-0 Sunday night, in the championship game at the Cavendish Farms University Cup tournament, in Charlottetown.
"They played so well," said MacDougall, of his team. "Our coaching staff and their preparation, it was so great."
"One in New Brunswick, one in Ontario, one in Saskatchewan, one in Alberta… they're all really, really special, but the last one is really special and the latest one is really special," said MacDougall.
Cody Morgan, Cole MacKay and Austen Keating scored goals to pace the REDS and Samuel Richard, named University Cup tournament MVP, made 17 saves for the shutout.
"The core that's been here, lost to Ryerson (now TMU) last year, we came back, got better, so many of us had written in our rooms somewhere to remind us of that feeling, and we don't have to remember that feeling anymore, we're champs," said REDS' captain Jason Willms.
The teams played aggressively in the first period, but neither side appeared willing to surrender the opening goal.
UNB outshot the Bears 10-8, but they went to the first intermission deadlocked 0-0 after 20 minutes.
The REDS came out buzzing to start the second, with all lines working furiously inside the Alberta zone.
The tight game continued until the 13:17 mark of the second, when Morgan took a Camaryn Baber pass and broke in alone on the Golden Bears net, beating Alberta goalie Ethan Kruger five hole and energizing the decidedly pro-UNB Charlottetown proud.
The Golden Bears held the REDS to their one goal lead until late in the third period when MacKay scored at the 14:30 mark.
Keating's goal came less than 90 seconds later, and the REDS hung on.
"We just stuck with it, our forecheck is always our key and I think when we've got a good F1 and F2, teams just can't handle us," said Willms. "We just tried to keep the pressure up, that's why we have those early morning workouts, that's why we run the stairs before practice, that's why we practice as hard as we do, for moments like this."
In the win, Coach MacDougall ties Tom Watt for the most championship game appearances, with 11, and ties Clare Drake for the most tournament games coached, with 42.
UNB previously won national championships in 2019, 2017, 2016, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2007 and 1998.
Source: Andy Campbell for UNB Athletics